The Lion, the Witch, and the Darkness
by abby-normal 2448
Summary: Dalixtar Crew: Seeks revenge against Raven. Raven: Has no idea who Dalixtar is. Beast Boy: Caught up in the middle. My summary: Not super, so you should click that little link above this summary...
1. The Moon

**Dyzklamer: I be not doin da owning of da Teen Titans. Haha, anyone who just read this probably looked horrified for about two seconds…the looks on ya'lls faces=priceless. But seriously, I do not own Teen Titans, although I ****am**** secretly related to Raven ;) Enjoy the story!**

It looms in the distance, the definition of majesty and power, illuminating the shadows of the night until the midnight cloak is swept away by master of the light. The light is bold, but the quiet allure of the luminous, silver orb is always comforting. Some may call it cold and lifeless, but it is always there in times when comfort is needed in the caress of the moonbeams. Some may say it slowly moves away year after year, but for now it is here to stay and witness the peace only achieved when the people of Earth are in the embrace of sleep. All save one.

Darkness encompassed the floating figure in tendrils of black enchantment; the effect was haunting, yet not unsettling…it matched the serenity of the moon. A light breeze picked up, and purple hair swept across the features of her face, giving the grey pallor of her skin some life. Her eyes were closed; her lashes barely touched the cheeks tinged slightly pink from the cold. A dark, heavy cloak flowed around her gently, protecting her from the cold of winter. She bathed in the soft light given off by the moon, all the while chanting a familiar phrase.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos"

Turmoil escaped, purging the body of stress, anger, fear, and all other emotions, to leave only a null void of inner tranquility. This was the ultimate goal, to feel the purity after all remnants of what makes her evil leaves her soul. She took in a slow breath and recited her mantra yet again, totally at one with her surroundings; the roof of the Titan's Tower was her place of solace, and now it was covered in a thin blanket of snow. Breathe in. Breathe out, ever so slowly. She walked the thin line between sleep and consciousness…then from out of nowhere a single, brave fly buzzed through the magic, as if not noticing or caring about the lone human and her idyllic state of mind. It was annoying, and reminded her of the reason she had to meditate tonight in the first place. The stillness was gone and she flicked away the little insect when she actually felt like taking her boot off, beating it to a tiny pulp, taking its remains and-

_Stop it Anger! _Her voice was forced. "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…" The words had lost their calming power. It was no use.

Like when a stone is thrown into a placid lake her peace was disrupted, thoughts formed, and thoughts rippled to create unwanted questions, which in turn became waves of emotions breaking free from their once closely guarded prison. Meditation was now useless, and she sighed resignedly and stepped onto the roof; the firmness of the flooring only made reality's entrance more concrete to the now perturbed young woman. She was Raven, and she had an issue with a bothersome fly that reminded her of her predicament. He was there. And that made everything worse.

"Ow! Y'know, you didn't have to do that." His cheery and deeper-than-usual voice cut through the open air like a beam of light through the darkness. He transformed into the young man she knew so well, falling to the ground and landing in a cat-like crouch, leaving four foot/handprints in the snow beneath him. All the while he rubbed his backside.

"I was meditating. You interrupted me when I actually wanted to be alone…more than usual, at least. I took the initiative to teach you a lesson. Deal with it." Her usually emotionless voice was weary, for with her peace went her willingness to stay awake.

"I'm sorry. I heard you come up here, and I thought you would appreciate the company…Gosh, it's cold! How can you stand it up here?" The scrawny teen shivered in the frigid atmosphere, the frigidity not only between him and the air, but between him and Raven as well.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she began to walk towards the door leading down into the building. _Why does it have to be so far away?_ She might as well confront him and get it all over with.

"Beast Boy, don't think I don't know what you really came up here for. I've been watching you during practice, and you haven't been giving it your all like you normally do, in fact, you look kind of scared to. There must be something that's bothering you about your powers, and I seemed like the best person to consult because I have experience with "power issues." I get that you need someone to talk to, but this isn't the time to do it. This is my "me time." I really don't mean to be insensitive, but I'm tired, so please, can we talk tomorrow? I promise I'll remember." _Wow that was wordy._

"Uhhhhhh…wow. How'd you know that? That's super cool!" He grinned with genuine curiosity and wonder, showing off his fangs. His pointed ears seemed enlarged by the hair that was slowly becoming covered in white snow; the pale color made his emerald skin and hair stand out in the bleak background. She wondered briefly why he was in his uniform instead of his pajamas. _When did he get so tall...?_

"Personally, I'd rather not explain right now…although it does have something to do with common sense. You should look it up sometime. Now can I please go to bed?" Her arms and legs were about to fall off, and an image flashed through her mind of being stuck on the roof, not being able to escape Beast Boy's chatter due to the detachment of said limbs. It was not a pleasant image.

"Sure Rae! Whatever you want, as long as I can talk to you tomorrow…erm…today? What time is it?"

"Don't call me Rae."

"Okay, cool, no need to get offensive…offended…seriously though, what time is it?" He stood there shivering, teeth chattering, and looking younger than his 18 years of age.

She rolled her eyes and engulfed herself in dark energy to transport herself to her room; he only smiled a little to himself, shook off the snow, and began the descent to his room. As he walked down the stairs he took his uniform off to reveal his pajamas underneath. He always thought it best to address his teammates in proffessional attire.

In the sanctity of her room, Raven fell onto bed and wished she could stay there for all eternity. But alas, it was not to be, for in a few short hours she would be talking to Beast Boy, probably on the rocky shore of Titan's island. She slipped beneath the sheets and allowed sleep to claim her; the moon's beams embraced and shielded her figure for what little time they could.

The moon sees all but never tells...its secrets die with the coming of the new day.

Notes: Not a bad way to end chapter numero uno, no? New chapters will be coming up soon if I get a few comments, I promise...constructive criticism please!


	2. The Sun

Disclaimer: I have not bought enough shares of cartoon network to own anything...so no, I do not own Teen Titans.

It rises ever so slowly, allowing itself to revel in the glory of its existence. The bringer of life, its rays penetrate the dark sky and makes it light, shooing away the stars and the moon to be worshipped alone. The sky is full of hues of pink, purple, blue, and orange…a symphony of colors come together to create a beautiful masterpiece, something viewed only by the dedicated few who can appreciate its wonders. Some say it is too bold, but it must be so, for how else could it sustain the lives of trillions of living things, and keep an entire solar system in balance? Some say it lacks grace, but is there not grace in the reflections of flowing waterfalls and the image of light behind the flowing clouds? The sun is there for the people of Earth when they are awake, working, and just living. All save one.

Through the worn curtains, small beams of sunlight danced across the rumpled sheets of the bed that he lay in. Snores reverberated off the walls and made their way around the room; through the fallen comic books, the unwashed clothes, and all the junk that accumulated on the floor throughout the years. Everything was accompanied by a stench so putrid most would not dare to walk near his room.

His ears twitched ever so slightly, accompanying the rythm of his consistent snores. A small puddle of drool gathered in his mouth; he lay on his back, neglecting to swallow. He choked on his spit. He came awake with a start and, after much coughing and hacking, rubbed his eyes with gloved hands. Sleep may have been precious, but today he needed to talk to Raven. The changeling went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Sure, his voice was still trying to find its place, but his physical appearance was quite different from the when he joined the team. He had a thin but strong and built frame that accentuated his newfound height well. He was about Robin's height now and had a bigger version of the uniform he used to wear. His hair had grown a little longer, but now he used hair gel to tame the unruly green mess on the top of his head.

"Lookin' good!" He grinned and posed for a while in front of the mirror before brushing his teeth and heading out of his room for some breakfast. The first thing he smelled was meat. Bacon, to be exact. To be even more precise, it was pig…an animal…he turned into animals, something he had to explain to Cyborg everyday in the never-ending food wars. He sighed, plastered a huge smile on his face, and walked into the common room.

As the automatic doors slide open, he was greeted by…..no one. Everybody was gone, save the burning bacon on the stove. Wait, in front of the window was Raven meditating. He approached her cautiously, thought better of it, and waited. He fidgeted. A lot. Eventually she opened her eyes and turned to face him. The light at her back made her seem darker than usual, but not in a bad way…in fact, she looked very nice that morning.

"Morning Raven! I don't know if you remember 'cause you were so tired last night, but you said I could talk to you…and where is everybody?" Everything came out in a rush except for the last part. Her gaze made him nervous and he felt his palms start to sweat. _Oh boy...here it comes..._

"Good morning Beast Boy. Robin and Starfire decided to eat out for breakfast today…and Cyborg **was** cooking breakfast until something happened to the T-Car and he said he needed to take care of something that I didn't quite catch…And I do remember a certain little fly last night, and I don't go back on my promises. Now, you start."

_Woah. She actually responded. On my first try. _He struggled to make coherent words form, and after about 3.7 seconds, he succeeded in controlling his speech. "Well you see-"

"Yo Grass Stain! Help me out with breakfast, I know you want some of this JUICY BACON!" A new voice interrupted Beast Boy, and a large half-human, half-robot entered the room. He stood a little over 6 feet tall, a true athlete, and despite his appearance he was not intimidating in the least. He was Cyborg, the big-brother figure of the team.

"Dude, how many times have I told you! I don't eat meat! How would you feel if people started eating cyborgs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Animals have rights too y'know!" Beast Boy began what he knew was going to be a long debate, so he murmured apologetically to Raven, "Sorry, I'll tell you later." Raven began nodding almost imperceptibly, stopped half nod and called out to Cyborg, "Cy I was talking to Beast Boy about something important, maybe you could cook breakfast on your own today…and be sure to make some tofu concoctions on the side…"

"Sure. I'll catch up with ya later BB…I got the special edition of MegaMonkeys 3000 yesterday, and I know you'll LLOOOVVEEE it!" Cyborg grinned widely and commenced in whistling a tuneless song whilst whipping up a fresh batch of waffles. Raven gave her signature eye-roll and looked expectantly at the changeling.

_Why did she do that! She must be in a super good mood today...awesome. _"Okay, let me start over with-"

"Hey guys!" *_groan*_ "In case you didn't notice, it's snowing pretty badly outside…so training will commence at 10:30 inside." A dark-haired teen strode jubilantly into the room, arm in arm with a tall and stunningly beautiful red-haired girl. The boy was Robin, strict and serious leader of the Teen Titans, although right then he was relaxed and just enjoying the spare time he had with his girlfriend, Starfire. She was an alien princess from the planet of Tamaran and had the features of a supermodel. Although she was sweet and somewhat naïve of Earth's customs, her looks were deceiving; she was one of the best fighters on the team.

"Oh yes friends, it is glorious outside! Why do you not rejoice in the snow? Come, we must partake in the building of the snowmales!" Starfire jumped out of Robin's hold on her and grabbed the person closest to her…Cyborg, who was mid-whisk in a bowl of batter. The bowl soared through the air and its contents splattered all over the common room; a majority landed on Beast Boy's head.

"DUDE!"_ AHHHHHHH! This tastes amazing! I look terrible! But this tastes amazing! But now I need to clean up! But this is so COOL! But I won't get to talk to Raven!_

"Aw, man Star, I was gonna make us some waffles!" Cyborg whined, but the whining was soon replaced by laughter after he got a good look at Beast Boy. Starfire apologized repeatedly to the changeling, who brushed it off and smiled widely before rushing out of the tower to "clean up" in the snow. He hid his conflicted emotions well as he strode outside.

Robin caught Raven's eye and noticed her annoyance at all the interruptions. He walked over and asked if she was okay. She acted like nothing was wrong and he took that as a sign to leave her alone to meditate. The day wore on, and Beast Boy never got a chance to tell Raven about his problem…but he would tell her tomorrow. For now, he enjoyed the serenity of the water around him, his own form of meditation. As the sun set over the horizon, a green dolphin circled Titan's Tower in the waning hours of the day before the cool beams of the moon whisked the light away.

Again, comments are welcome! Thank you to the four who actually did reply, you are all very much appreciated :) Now, onward!


	3. The Black Hole

Do I really need to do a disclaimer at the beginning of each chapter...? Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans

It pulls unrelentingly in the depths of space, the result of an explosion and the end of all equilibrium within a star. Turmoil meets pure energy, and even light is sucked into the intensity of dense mass; the darkness is alluring and mysterious with no definite place in the universe. It is the destroyer, opposite of its predecessor, the supernova, the giver of life. Some look at it in awe and struggle to decipher the function of this vacuum, while others gaze upon it in fear and ignorance of its black depths. None have ever come near Earth or its people before. Until now.

_Darkness. _It enveloped him, blocking out the world of the living. _Pain. _He killed to get closer to his target. _Emptiness._ He felt only to destroy the one who ruined his life. _Trigon. _Dalixtar Crew stared at the tower gleaming with light in the distance, overseeing the nightlife of Jump City. _How it would look in flames. _For an instant a cold smile graced his lips; it matched the freezing air wrapping itself around the few brave citizens who walked the snowy city at night.

The man walked gracefully through the streets in a heavy, black overcoat, leaving barely discernable footprints in the compact snow. The people who passed him did not notice him, he seemed to have that effect on people; he was always one to fade in the background, watch, and wait for that opportune moment when there was most to gain. He grimaced as he remembered his mission at hand and made his way to the "Corner" as it was called by its frequent visitors.

"Pull me another round. My head is filled with lights." Doctor Light said groggily. He had been sitting at the bar for the past few hours, still recovering from his continued failures against the Titans. The bartender eyed him skeptically before taking out a new bottle of Bailey's. He tilted the bottle to pour some of the fiery liquid into the shot glass, then the bottle exploded. The bartender leapt back as his skin was pierced by tin y shards of glass, the inflicted wounds made worse by the Bailey penetrating the cuts. Light fell out of his seat just in time, avoiding the barrage of glass. All background chatter stopped as a dark figure strode into the smoky room.

Dalixtar observed his surroundings, instinctively taking in every exit, every person with a possible weapon, every person in general, and the whereabouts of his target. If pure testosterone had a smell, that would be what the bar smelled like…musty. The walls were adorned with pictures of poster girls from the 40's in "scandalous" poses. Every man had his tastes. A handful of round tables were inhabited by a handful of haggard men, all of whom were too drunk to move when he stepped into the room; none held any real weapons, besides half-empty glasses. Crew focused anew on Light.

"Don't," he said in a low voice barely heard by the bartender, remarking on Light's last comment.

Silence greeted him. Then ever so slowly men slunk out of the bar, their heads down, willing themselves to become invisible. _Stupid cowards._ Light met the eyes of some of the men, silently pleading with them to stay. None held his gaze for long before turning away. He decided to confront his fears.

"What do you want?" asked a drunken Light.

Light was thrown against the wall and the figure held him by the neck in a death grip. Light had a perfect look of the man's face as he struggled to breath, and though he began to sweat a shiver traveled through his body. The face was incredibly handsome with slate-grey eyes that bore intensely into his person. The face was pale and very slim, the chin jutted out as his mouth curled upward in a sinister smirk. Most of the man's jet black hair was hidden beneath his black hood, strands loose upon his face. Light felt fear envelop him, a fear felt only when confronting the sorceress, Raven. His eyes widened in realization.

"You-you were the one-

"Let's not jump to conclusions and let's not talk about what I've done." _You don't want to waste my time._

Light shivered, he knew this man from what other villains told him in hushed whispers. He feared him immensely; he knew more about him than he let on. Though how to get rid of him, he did not know the answer. He struggled to recall what all the others had said about him, but his mind drew a blank. The alcohol placed constraints on his memory and he grew desperate…and then, an epiphany. _Wait,_ _light is on my side. _He smiled grimly and rose slowly from the barstool, sobered by the surprise and pure terror coursing through his veins. He raised his hands and they began to glow faintly.

"It looks like someone needs to brighten up!"

Dr. Light shot beams of white light at the man as he recited this new pun. Crew moved at an almost inhuman speed to dodge, he had anticipated the move. A mere second passed before Light found himself choking, suspended on the wall yet again, gasping for bits of air.

Crew snarled, "Tell me what you know about Raven."

"I'm not telling you anything assassin. What use would she have for you? Besides, the only thing I know about her is the darkness, and the nightmares," His voice rose to a rather girlish pitch and became increasingly hysterical, "I was in a coma for weeks af-"

He was interrupted by the man, "I don't care about your problems! Tell me about the girl!" Light whimpered, but no other words escaped his lips. Crew let out a breath and regained his composure, although his grip on Light never slacked.

"Alright then, we will do this the hard way." _Now the fun begins._

Light was blown off his feet and slammed through the back wall of the bar. He tumbled into the dank alley way, bricks and mortar falling in a shower around him. Light looked up, and saw the man tread easily through the debris towards him. "I have much in store for her, and I need information from the view of one of the 'bad guys.' Now enlighten me, please." The last word came out with a deliberate drawl and raised eyebrows.

Light raised his own eyebrows at Crew's unintentional pun, then proceeded in spewing painfully obvious facts. "She unleashes the fury of the daemons upon those who oppose her, she travels in a team, she struggles to control her pow-"

"Enough you dolt! Tell me something I do not already know, or I'm afraid you will have to face the alternative!" This was the first time the man had shown any emotion, and it was not a pleasant experience for Light in the least.

"N-no!"

"No what?"

"I know no more, I am weak, please spare me!" Light groveled on the ground, not wishing the one upper hand he had over Raven to be revealed to a lazy, bully of a villain. Light had worked too hard and too many years to disclose his secret. He hoped his eyes betrayed nothing. They did.

Dalixtar looked at Light one more time before he whispered coolly, "Lights out." There was the ring of metal on metal as blades were pulled out of their sheaths, and then everything went black.

_How cliché, this happens every time._ _Cowards…they always faint. _He shivered in the night air and let out yet another sigh. Most may mistake his sighs for weariness, but they were actually from boredom. Of course, no one ever got close enough to him to figure that out. _Except for my cursed mother, the wretch._

The night was still again, save the wails of a devastated bar owner in the middle of Jump City. A lone figure strode through the streets, not hindered in the least by the sack hanging over his left shoulder. Fog enshrouded the buildings as large snowflakes fell gently to blanket the sleeping city. Titans Tower glowed in the distance, standing tall and proud amongst the crashing waves of the ocean. The man trudged on, away from the lights, the happiness, the contentment. Passersby did not turn their heads to stare or watch him go on his way…he seemed to have that effect on people.

Woah! A bad guy *gasp*... :) I have a feeling this story is following the basic formula of BB/Rae stories. I will try to spice it up a bit, thanks for those who commented and/or are reading!


	4. Master of Awkwardness

Disclaimer: I do not have the brain power to even begin to imagine what my life owuld be like if I came up with the Teen Titans. So no, I be not doing the owning of them. And thanks for all you reviewers, I give thee cyber kisses (not really, that'd be a little weird and unnecessary)...onward with the story!

It means lacking dexterity, or clumsy. To have no ease in movement, or to be unprepared. To most it means that silence when "purple elephants are born." It can also be the time spent when getting to know someone, before becoming their best friend for life. It can also mean that moment when one wishes they could die in a hole, in the rain, in their underwear. Mostly, it is the latter, especially for a certain changeling...

He sighed. He couldn't believe he was going to do it. After a few years, here he was again, standing in front of THE door. Last time it was under grievous circumstances to help a friend in need, and now he was the one who needed helping. He took a shaky breath and raised his fist to knock on said door, but stopped with it hanging in the air. He sighed again. This time, he straightened his shoulders, smoothed back his hair, and readied himself for one of the most awkward conversations of his short life.

"Raven?" He felt stupid talking to a door, but it was all his courage could muster. "Hello? I know we didn't really get to talk yesterday, and I was wondering if your offer to listen to me was still up…" Silence. Then the door slid open with a quiet hiss, and she stood there, looking at him. He almost passed out; from relief or nerves, he didn't know. She studied him for a few seconds before asking, "Do you wanna talk out there or in here?" Okay, that was not expected. No one goes into her room. He might as well take advantage of her benevolence.

"Inside would be fine I guess…." An awkward silence ensued. Then, Raven rolled her eyes and took the initiative to step aside and let him in. He cautiously stepped forward, eyeing her warily as he entered her less frequented domain.

The room was dark, but not for lack of light; her curtains were drawn completely to let shafts of sunlight in. Even then he had to squint and allow his pupils to adjust to the darkness...it was hard to explain, but the milieu of the room was like a clear blackness. To him, the only discernable colors in her room were dark blue and black. Raven preferred to think of the colors as azure, navy blue, inky black, midnight black, and periwinkle…but that was just her. The walls were bare, but he could barely tell as they were blocked by bookcases and dozens of piles of books. Of course, there was also the occasional vanity, chair, and other oddities he couldn't begin to fathom as to what their purposes were. He decided it would be best to focus on speaking about his issue before he commented on her interior design skills. Best not to start off on the wrong foot.

"So, uh, I think I'll just stand…..you can sit if you want, this might take a while…..I guess I'm not used to talking to you I guess, but then I guess why would I have gone up to the roof to talk to you, huh? Well, that doesn't really matter 'cause I didn't really talk to you and you were really tired and stuff and….yeah." _WHAT WAS THAT! Now she thinks I'm stupid._

"Calm down Beast Boy." Her usual emotionless voice was calming to his jumbled thoughts. "Just start from the beginning." Violet eyes stared at his emerald ones expectantly.

"Okay well, uh, ummm, you see, it all started about two weeks ago, and umm, uh…"

"Enough with the UMMMS, and the UHHHHH already, it's best to compose your thoughts before speaking." Her tone wasn't one of exasperation or impatience, she was more like a school teacher correcting a pupil.

"Right. Okay." Beast Boy took a deep breath before beginning an unexpected well-dictated speech.

"Two weeks ago, I started hearing a voice in my head, kind of in a British accent…like the voice of Daniel Craig…" The annoyed look on Raven's face was enough to know he was getting off track. "...but not in a good way. He wanted out, saying my 'shell' had become unsubstantial for his needs. I have no idea what it means, but…I'm …" His face scrunched up, trying to find the right words, "scared…? No, I'm apprehensive of what will come next. I can't use my powers…I mean, I can't fight me, or what's been a part of me since I got my powers." He let out a breath, never having exposed that much about himself to any of the Titans besides Cyborg, and even then he didn't talk much about himself. Their conversations were usually more on the lines of vegetarians vs. carnivores, or hurling diatribes at each other while playing videogames.

"Nice word choice."

He brightened, "Thanks! I've been reading…stuff."

"Right. Well, nothing's happened since Daniel Craig right? I've seen you use your powers, and I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary besides your nervous behavior." She was matter-of-fact, as always. In a strange way this was comforting for Beast Boy, even if she was very direct and frank. He just wished she would show a little more sympathy for his plight. Raven, being an empath, sensed some of the disappointment and immediately felt a little guilty for her rationality, and her seemengly offhandedness on the issue.

Beast Boy responded, "Actually, it hurts more now. And the transformations are slower. It's like when I first got my powers, and I could feel every muscle, joint, and organ shifting. This isn't as bad, but…." He couldn't put the hurt to words.

"It's just uncomfortable." Raven finished his sentence for him. He nodded slowly, trying to choose his words from his surprisingly vast vocabulary with care; he couldn't think of anything else to explain his dilemma. It was as if he was drowning, surrounded by hundreds of flotation devices adorned with lethal spikes. _I should have been better prepared._

Awkwardness ensued. It was almost palpable.

"If I were you, instead of recoiling in fear of the unknown I'd try and understand what I felt like when I used my powers. I know whenever I became uncomfortable when I first started using my powers, I'd root out the problem before I did anything else." Raven left out what was truly "uncomfortable" about her ordeals. This wasn't the time to bring up her shortcomings and tragedy; it was time to focus on his. That wasn't even what she wanted to say, but it was the only solution that came to mind quickly enough that would help dissolve the silence.

"Yeah, I'll try that out next time….so uhhhh, I mean, not 'uhh'! but ummm…_goshdarnit! Stop saying 'uh!'_ I guess I'll catch'ya later?" He flashed a quick, if not forced, grin before scooting quickly towards her door. She said nothing, only watched as he tripped on an upturned corner of her rug and fell heavily onto her vanity. Items he knew nothing about flew everywhere, much like his flailing limbs. It wasn't pretty. Her face wasn't that pretty anymore either when she saw the damage done to the vanity given to her by Azar when she first became her pupil.

Beast Boy's eyes widened as he lay in a pile of her things. This was not supposed to happen, and he realized he needed to talk fast to spare himself any more bodily injury.

"I'm so sorry!" She glared, the violet eyes with a dangerous steel behind them. He was gonna get it if he didn't do something fast. He began talking as quickly as possible, tapping into his squirrel form for help (minus the squeaky voice).

"Ididn'tmeantodoitItotallydidn'-"

"Please. Leave." She managed to spit out the words without tackling him. This was why no one came into her room…although it seemed petty to get angry over something so small, but it meant a lot to her…

As soon as she had interrupted his plea for forgiveness, he scampered out of her room into the safety of the empty hallway. He regained his cool as he strode towards the common room. _At least she was able to help me in some way…I just wish I didn't have to be so awkward…_

Raven seethed as she thought of how long it would take for her to get her emotions under control. As she hurriedly picked up various trinkets and tokens of nostalgia she collected over the years, she couldn't help thinking _I should have helped him more…I wish I wasn't so awkward…_

Uneventful? Yes. Will it get more interesting? Oh yesh. Stick around, it'll be worth it. I promise this goes somewhere :)


	5. Torture

Disclaimer: Teen Titans+me=super happy, me+ownership of TT=ready to die happy, me+now=not ready to die yet=no ownership of TT...

Thank you everyone who reviewed this story, and for those not reviewing...thanks for reading! Again, criticisms are welcome, and onward!

"The act of inflicting excruciating pain as a means of getting a confession, or for sheer cruelty." We cannot even begin to comprehend the meaning of this word. Yes, we read about it, and cringe as we do so, but we cannot grasp the concept or the malice behind every beating, every ear-splitting scream, every malevolent grin of satisfaction for injuring that which is not theirs to harm. Yes, we see it on TV, but we are detached from the reality of it as we eat our dinner, or sip our hot chocolate while we absentmindedly surf the internet. All we think is, "Ouch, that looks painful," or "That looks so AWESOME!"… We literally have no idea, no idea at all.

Light rolled on the ground, his mouth wide open as pain wracked his broken body. No cries escaped his hoarse throat; his vocal chords gave out hours ago. Now tears streamed down his pale face, and he only wished he could die, or at least pass out to escape the nightmare he was living. Everything hurt. It had been this way ever since he was taken out of the burlap bag and dumped on the gray concrete. The pain of landing on his tailbone felt terrible…he had no idea what levels of pain he would experience for the next three hours.

Crew stood ominously over Light, seemingly fixated on his clean black gloves. He was bored, as usual, and Light wasn't screaming anymore. If it took breaking every bone in his body to have him elicit the smallest scream, Crew would._ I've got to pace myself with this one._ He sighed at the truth of the fact…how he enjoyed breaking bones.._.a small one wouldn't hurt._ The irony of the mental statement amused him. He didn't look up as he picked Light up with his powers. With a resounding snap, Light's foot twisted 180 degrees.

There was a scream intermingled with a cruel chuckle. Light's foot hung at an odd angle as the rest of his body convulsed in agony.

Still holding Light in the air, Crew asked, "Are you ready?" His ears were met with still more sobbing, and he decided no, Light wasn't ready. _Ah well, there's always tomorrow. Oh the fun that is to be had._ He dropped Light to the ground and walked to the only door in the room, opposite Light.

"Good night. I expect you'll want to continue tomorrow? Well, considering how uncooperative you were today, I believe some sort of punishment is in order." He thought a moment.

"I need you to stand." The pleasantness of his voice was not well received by Light, who vomited as he envisioned what the new day would bring….and the thought of standing on his newly broken ankle. He was too slow to get up, so Crew helped him. Light felt the anguish run through every nerve in his body as he was forced into an upright position with Crew's powers. The "support" left before Light got the chance to balance on his one good leg, and he almost tumbled to the ground again. Crew found it amusing as he watched Light struggle to stay upright in the slippery pool of his bile. The room stank of it…chunks of it began to rot in Light's beard. The more unpleasant, the better.

"Now that you're standing, I don't think it would be too much to ask of you to stay in that position the entire night, would it? I only wish to make you realize you must obey me in order to expect some form of mercy here. In fact, if I review the tapes from tonight and find that you did in fact manage to stay on your feet, I might even let you sleep for an hour in the morning. Of course, that would mean no breakfast, but it's your choice." Light only stared sullenly at his jailer, tormentor, and most likely, his executioner. Crew left the room without another word, leaving his prisoner to his thoughts.

Light stared at the grey, bare walls surrounding him. The view was basically the same on all sides, save the iron door on one. A light bulb dangled precariously from a light fixture on the ceiling, illuminating the small 8x8 room. Right next to the light bulb hung a pair of shackles attached to a long chain that ran through a pulley affixed to the ceiling; Light didn't want to think what that could be used for.

There was no clock, no windows, nothing allowing him to guess the time. The first five minutes were agonizing; the pain in his ankle was almost unbearable. But he knew the camera watched ever onward, and so he couldn't sit or lie down. His situation was hopeless, he was exhausted, and he wanted to die. _Is my secret worth this much pain? We'll see in the morning._

Crew made his way out of the warehouse to the motel about a block down the street. It wasn't too shabby, just old. It would suffice for the time being. The sagging building held a few inhabitants, but most were usually gone all day and night working two jobs, or stayed in all day in various stages of despair or depression. Bleak. That was the word that came to Crew's mind when he arrived at his living quarters: a small room with a bed, dresser, TV, and heater all crammed together…there was barely enough room for a toilet and shower in a space that would normally have been a walk-in closet.

He relaxed onto his bed as he tried to figure out what he would do when Light told him Raven's secret weakness. Unpleasant memories rushed at him in a tsunami-like wave. He lay helpless on the beach of his mind as wave after enormous wave of unpleasantries crashed into him.

*Flashback*

"_You must please you father, you must do better!" She yelled at him as he focused his power and attempted to uproot the dead tree. It wasn't working. She smacked him across his face, hard. He took it without question as his a bruise began to form where her palm made contact with his cheek. He was six years old._

"_What's wrong with you boy? Don't look to anyone for help. You deserve this." The others seemed to enjoy beating him, with their whips, their belts, their short sticks. "Please help me, IT HURTS!" "I was hurt, but no one came to MY aid! You must learn to be strong, just as I had to learn! You are destined for greatness, now live up to your father's name!" The look in her eyes was that of a mad woman, her prominent eye-makeup only added to the terrifying effect. Her brothers continued beating the boy until he was knocked senseless. She splashed him awake with a bucket of dirty lake water. It was her one act of mercy for the day; her brothers normally enjoyed waking him with a good dose of vinegar to the back. He was ten years old._

"_AHHHHH!" The power consumed him, he couldn't control the rage. It burst out of him in waves of wrath, directed at her, her brothers, everything around him. Her last breaths were used to emit an ominous cackle. Blood painted the ground a deep red. The smell of it hung in the air, cancelling out the putrid smell of the sewage plant next door. For the first time in his life he was happy. He was fifteen years old_

_The TV newscaster showed the Titans, basking in the glory of their victory over Trigon. A particular Titan caught his eye. She was the devil's offspring; she shouldn't be celebrated, she should be dead, just like him. The TV exploded. He was nineteen years old._

*End Flashback*

Crew sighed. This happened every once in a while…it was a good reminder as to why he lived the way he did, instead of working a decent job as an artist and living in a nice home like he dreamed as a child. He would be recognized for who he was. He would not be used or abused. He was twenty-one years old, and he was not to be ruled anymore.

He rested his head on the hard pillow. Before he slept, he couldn't help smiling at the thought of Light standing all night. Lucky for him, Crew liked to start his days off early. Unlucky for him, that meant he got more "bonding" time with Crew. And just plain unfair was the camera in the warehouse, disconnected from any receiving devices, taping that room endlessly for the viewing of no one...in fact, it ran out of batteries years ago, but that was the beauty of it. How unfortunate. How torturous.

Well then, that was fun. Holidays are coming up, and I will be gone for a while. I will try to upload more as soon as possible, but that will all depend on internet access. Happy non-denominational holidays everyone!


End file.
